Matt Fitzpatrick knocked a beer out of a fan’s hand, Xander Schauffele landed a tee shot in someone’s bag and Bryson DeChambeau fired a ball into a man’s forearm in a chaotic opening round of the Masters.
Fitzpatrick, Schauffele and DeChambeau formed one of the headline groups at Augusta National on Thursday, with supporters flocking to follow their round.
But all three took turns missing fairways and greens, putting fans in the firing line. On the par-four third at Augusta, Fitzpatrick’s drive missed the right side of the fairway and struck someone’s plastic cup.
The fan was left with his arms out in confusion – and his beer on the floor. He later told the Daily Mail that he hadn’t see the ball coming at all. Some eyewitnesses claimed it had landed in his cup before bouncing out.
Either way, the fan was left with an empty pint, while Fitzpatrick was left with a moist ball in the pine straw.
‘It is a bit wet,’ the world No 6 said after being told what had happened. ‘I’m sorry,’ he told the fan. ‘They’re cheap beers here.’
Matt Fitzpatrick knocked a beer out of a fan’s hand during the opening round of the Masters
Xander Schauffele landed a tee shot in someone’s merchandise bag at Augusta National
A cup of Crow’s Nest, the Masters’ signature beer, costs just $6 at Augusta this week.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time this group sent their balls into the crowd on Thursday.
A few holes later, at the par-three sixth, DeChambeau’s tee shot flew left of the green and struck a man on the forearm. He apologized, shook hands with the fan and gifted him a ball.
Before long, Schauffele had landed a tee shot in a fan’s merchandise bag. Pictures showed officials and the world No 10 retrieving the ball before Schauffele handed the bag back to the fan.
He was given a free drop en route to ending the front nine on one-under-par.